Town of Gay earmarks ARPA funds for city hall electrical work, utility aid and water meter boxes

The Town of Gay council voted unanimously Aug. 12 to prioritize three uses of remaining ARPA (CARES) funds and authorized staff to pursue bids and contracts to implement them.

Sharon Richmond, town clerk, told the council the funds must be obligated before the end of December 2024. Council members identified electrical work on the garage/storage area at town hall as the top priority, followed by payment of utility bills for a low-income household that meets the program’s eligibility threshold, and replacement or purchase of new meter boxes for the water system, which the town’s water operator flagged as a current need.

Council member Keith moved to adopt those three items as the base priorities and to proceed with obtaining required contracts, bids or other procurement steps; Council member Watts seconded. The motion passed on a unanimous voice vote.

The council did not specify dollar amounts or an implementation schedule during the meeting; it directed staff to return with bids or contract documents to allow formal award at a future meeting. The clerk noted only that a family has been identified for potential utility assistance and that eligibility will be verified according to the town’s poverty-level criteria before any payment is made.

The action leaves three near-term tasks: (1) solicit and evaluate bids for the electrical work at the city hall garage/storage area, (2) verify eligibility and establish a payment process for the household utility assistance, and (3) procure new meter boxes and schedule installation with the town water operator. The council emphasized the December obligation deadline for ARPA funds as the reason for expedited procurement steps.